Bittersweet Summer Heat
by MagicxMusicxMelody
Summary: "I never realized how much I missed you until Marucho invited us for a reunion here. You look a lot prettier than last time." "You've had the entire last two weeks to see me, and you're telling me this now on the last day?" As they both knew, some things were impossible. What a bittersweet wave of summer heat. Oneshot.


**Hello again! 6th oneshot. After the feedback and reviews on "First Wisdom Tooth," I decided to write another T-rated oneshot. A relative in Singapore _finally_ sent me printed copies of photos from summer, and listening to f(x)'s "Cheot Salangni" reminded me of "Hot Summer" because of a possible repackage. This is a longer, more 'close' summer oneshot. (Dedication goes to CookieDecor22; you know why. I hate you so much. ^_^)**

* * *

Upon spinning the straw in her glass of mango juice, the glass cubes echoed rhythmically upon impact. Alice bent the straw to a right angle and drank her juice, fingers wet from the condensation on the cup. But even with the water droplets, icy drink, fan in her other hand, and the shade of a huge parasol propped next to her, the summer heat still beat heavily on her.

And it was already the end of the summer season.

_Why __does __it __**still **__have to be so hot?_

Marucho went boating with Jake, Ren, and Baron. Ace and Dan were playing another game of Go Fish at a nearby table. Alice sat in her lounge chair, watching Julie, Runo, Mira, and Fabia play a fierce yet friendly game of volleyball. The net was set up two hours ago during breakfast, and after multiple hard slams of the ball by both sides, the ropes and knots loosened over time and swayed faintly in the almost nonexistent wind.

Something made Alice want to tie and tighten those knots _so_ badly, but she didn't want to get out into the sun. Alice tightened her grip on the glass and kep drinking to relieve her dry mouth and throat.

At the beginning of summer break, Marucho invited everyone to a two-month vacation for a reunion at his very own vacation house in Guam. Two-months came and went, and today was the last day of that vacation before everyone had to go home early tomorrow morning. Alice came late and only enjoyed one month out of two due to her grandfather's laboratory back in Moscow, Russia. Either way, she had a great time with her friends, only wishing she had come earlier.

But there was no point in doing that either since one of her friends hadn't arrived until only two weeks ago, and Alice bit her lip at the thought. "Ouch!"

Before she could soothe the pain, Alice felt the back of a finger touch the left side of her chin and gently sliding up, wiping away some juice that escaped her mouth. "Careful next time."

"Shun."

Out of all people, Alice hadn't seen Shun this morning since yesterday. Like her, Shun's grandfather had important issues that prevented his grandson from coming until two weeks ago, despite the shortness of the trip. Shun sat down on the other lounge chair by the parasol, wiping his hands on the beach towel.

Alice licked the remaining traces of stickiness on the corner of her mouth and asked, "What brings you here?"

"Nothing."

His one-word response prompted her to look over at him. Shun simply wore a celadon green undershirt with a white shirt over and pants of matching color. His raven black hair swayed faintly just below his neck.

Alice always wondered why he decided to cut his hair, but she never questioned it. Unlike Dan, who complained about everything out loud, especially about how Shun became different and never making the same impression again. Indeed, she found Shun to be different with shorter hair...but in a different way.

"You look tired. Want me to fan you?"

"Anything to make me less tired in this blazing heat, sure."

Alice was very tired from fanning herself since the moment she came out, but she didn't want to go back into the vacation house, either. Everyone else was out here. She handed Shun her folding fan and put on sunglasses. Instantly, the heat that radiated close to the skin on her shoulders, arms, and legs lifted away and was replaced by the refreshing wind of the fan.

Now it was getting a little cold. Alice wore her typical a yellow dress with white shorts and a green blouse to relieve the heat, but now she was cold. Of course, Shun hadn't been out in the sun all morning and wasn't as tired as her.

And then he stopped fanning. "Shun?"

"Dan just beckoned me over to his table to play Go Fish with him or else. Don't worry, I won't be gone for long."

"Did I ask how long you're going to be playing cards? I do wish you'd stay longer to fan me, though."

"No, but it's implied, seeing you're all alone by yourself 'relaxing' in a lounge chair. Also..." Shun leaned over close to Alice's left side, and she could hear him breathing rhythmically.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Accidentally blew a lock of hair out of place when I fanned. There." He tucked the loose locks behind her left ear and straightened a few nearby, gentle to the touch. "What's that fragrance?"

"Probably my mango juice. I've been drinking it all day since breakfast."

"No, I'm not catching a fruity scent." Shun leaned even closer, and Alice could feel him breathing on her heated skin. Her heart beat faster, not knowing what he'd do next. "More like chocolate. Anyway, I got to go."

Alice lifted her sunglasses and watched Shun walk over to the table nearby to take Ace's seat. She covered her neck with a few locks of hair to block the sun's rays on bare neck and to cover up the remaining tingly feeling. _Maybe it's just a phase from scorchingly hot to icy cold back to scorching hot._

_Yet I kind of expected it coming..._

Then again, it was better now than never, especially after the phone call she was about to answer.

"What happened, Grandfather?"

Better make this vacation last longer now than never.

**MxMxM**

"Whatever. I'll try to leave as early as possible."

Shun closed his phone and fell back onto the sofa. After calling his grandfather to check up on him, Shun in return got told that he'd have to leave a lot earlier since his grandfather was leaving overseas and needed Shun at home. He didn't dare question what his grandfather was doing. It was all confidential.

"Shun! You're going to miss out on the barbecue!" yelled Jake from outside. "Runo's making barbecued sashimi. Your favorite!"

"What?! I thought she was making me loin tips!" Dan interrupted.

"I'm not making any until you get me skewers for liver kabobs!" argued Runo.

Mira and Julie cut up the pieces of steak and other meat. Ren and Fabia set up cups, plates, and utensils. Baron looked like he had no idea how to get coal burning. Marucho and Kato were nowhere to be seen.

One of the other reasons why Shun was resting inside the living room of the vacation house was because of the ruckus he knew Dan and Runo would cause. The moment he heard their argument was the moment he lost his appetite. Shun looked over his shoulder and saw vague silhouettes of people walking around in the blinding sun.

_Why would people even go out to barbecue in this blazing heat and sunshine?_

Shun went over the the refrigerator and poured himself some mango juice. _At least there's something left here for me to eat...or drink. _He poured a cup of juice and heard footsteps entering the kitchen. "Who is it?"

"Just me."

Alice entered the living room from the back glass sliding door and closed the curtain of one of the full-wall windows. Shun watched her from the corner of his eye. _She's lingering here for a reason. _He changed his mind when Alice took a seat on the sofa in the shade of the curtain.

"Heat got under your skin again?"

She pulled up her sunglasses. "Exactly. My sunscreen must've worn out, but I don't plan on going back outside anyway." She leaned back and realized Shun was staring at her awkwardly. "Did I take your seat? I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I-"

"Here."

Alice was serious about returning Shun's seat and even went as far as to walking up to and dragging him over. "I have other business to deal with, so this seat is useless to me now."

"What other business could be more important than taking a restful break?"

Approaching the stairs but hearing his question, Alice turned around and walked to the sofa, just behind Shun. She leaned down and mumbled, "How to make my last moments of this 'reunion' vacation last longer. Wouldn't you agree?"

That last question was purposely asked as a gentle whisper.

"You could say that." His voice was slow, completely understanding what she meant.

"Hmm." Alice let out a very soft sigh, caught and noticed by his keen ears. _That doesn't sound right. _"I'll see you later then."

There it was again. The chocolate scent he smelled this morning. _Could this mango juice really also smell like chocolates? _He smelled the cup but confirmed it wasn't, so he smelled the back of his seat. It _was _Alice.

_Must be karma._

Suddenly, Shun was in the mood to and had the appetite to eat again. A faint scent of chocolate _actually_ got him hungry.

Not necessarily for the food outside, though.

But definitely something _sweet_.

**MxMxM**

Everyone stood around the pool and stared up with fright. _Almost _everyone.

"Cannonball!"

"Dan, if you get of the rest of us wet, I swear, I will _kill_ you." Runo threatened.

But Dan jumped anyway into the huge, two-meter deep portion of pool behind the vacation house somewhere from three meters up. Even the second floor windows and above were splashed wet.

"Why don't we all go swimming now that we're all wet?" asked Ren sarcastically. Ironically, everyone answered 'yes' to his rhetorical question.

"Yeah, but _I_ don't want to go swimming." Alice mumbled. She got up from her beach chair but was pushed down by someone back into her seat. "What the-"

"You're not going to be able to do anything when _everyone's_ going to use every available bathroom to change and get ready." Shun explained. He placed a towel on her and wiped her hair. "Dry enough for you?"

"As if first row seats don't come at a price. This water is ice cold, and it's evening already."

Alice closed her eyes and let Shun dry her hair, but then he stopped moving and placed his hands on Alice's shoulders. The pressure of Shun's hands on her shoulders was scaring her in a way, and she twitched. Only the cotton towel separated his warm hands from her cold skin. "S-Shun, what's wr-"

"Rush hour of people entering the pool diving-style right now." He tightened his grip, making Alice tense with slight fear. "I'm really serious about that chocolate scent on you."

"Probably the fancy, high-end shampoo. I don't care."

_But I do._

Dan and the others _literally_ jumped into the pool and made twice as bad a splash as Dan did on the board. "Not this freezing cold water again..."

Alice trembled as the drops of water chilled her arms, shoulders, and neck, and the towel, soaked with water like the rest of her clothes, didn't help at all. Shun removed the towel, leaving Alice even colder, but took off his to put on her to make it up.

"You'd better get-"

"Out."

The fury from getting wet _twice_ and the tension of Shun's hands and jacket on her shoulders and skin was a bad combination. _All I wanted was to have a nice last day of vacation. Why don't they realize? Why is this so frustrating?_

_And what exactly was __**he**_ _trying to do?_

Alice took Shun's jacket anyway and left her seat. _She wasn't like this during the morning. What ticked her off? _Alice stormed into the vacation house and upstairs where Shun saw her from the windows. It wasn't like her at all to suddenly burst in anger like that. He had yet to wonder why.

_I guess I should go find out then._

Shun left his seat and went upstairs, too.

**MxMxM**

First the hectic barbecue, then the crazy pool party, now a disorganized hot pot outside. It was getting cold, skies almost indigo, but the moist vapor of the steamy soup base warmed everyone. A couple of people didn't stay long, though.

Actually, the hot pot was just a continuation of the pool session since _some_ people ate with their swim attire on.

"Ace, you're dripping pool water all over me!"

"It's your fault for sitting here, Mira."

"Hey, where's Alice?" Julie asked.

"Haven't seen her since Dan's cannonball got us all wet." Ace answered dryly.

"And Master Shun?" Baron asked.

"Claimed to not have felt well since the barbecue." Fabia recalled.

Actually, Alice grabbed a huge serving of food long ago from the hot pots and took it upstairs to the fourth floor balcony to spectate. She looked down at everyone from her room window and sighed. _Less then ten hours left, and I'll be gone by then. So much for an interesting last day like I planned. _Resting her empty plate on a table, Alice sighed and continued to look outside.

"Why the long face?"

Alice turned around and saw Shun at the end of the hall. "What?"

"You sound mad."

"Not at all."

He walked closer and spoke again, so close that she felt him breathing slowly on her neck again. _There he goes again. The heavy breathing._ "You're definitely upset about something."

"What told you that?"

"The way you talked to me in the living room and your sudden anger an hour ago. Come on, Alice. That's not way to spend your last day here. Tell me what's wrong."

Alice took a deep breath and turned around, not expecting to be only a centimeter away from her and backing up. "My grandfather called, and he said I have to leave early tomorrow morning to catch a plane back to Moscow. There was an emergency at his lab."

_Is that what she was so stressed about? _"Same here. I have to leave early tomorrow morning back to Japan because me grandfather needs me to watch the house."

"Then why are you up here and not with them?" asked Alice, turning to the window again.

"Because..." _I hadn't thought about it until now. _"Because I see them a lot more often while others, I haven't seen in a year."

"Like...?"

Shun approached behind Alice and wrapped his arms around her waist, much to her surprise. He rested his chin on her left shoulder and whispered, "Who else do you think?"

Alice giggled, but pushed Shun's hands away, also much to his surprise. "I don't see you guys often either, but I'm fine the way I am. Welcome to the club-"

Neither one of them would've expected Shun would push Alice to the wall onto the pulled-aside curtain.

"Shun, you..."

"True, I should spend my last day in Guam more 'wisely' since this is a once-in-a-lifetime event," His voice was low, and Alice knew something wasn't right. "but what's the point if no one's going to spend it with you?"

Alice asked in the same voice level, "So you're saying...?"

"I never realized how much I missed you until Marucho invited us for a reunion here. You look a lot prettier than last time."

Again, Alice giggled. "You've had the entire last two weeks to see me, and you're telling me this now on the last day?"

"I guess that saying about people not realizing things until the very end is true. Sorry if I took your pool time away from you."

"No problem. I didn't plan on swimming anyway."

"So it'll be just of the two of us then?" he asked with a smirk.

In return, Alice had a slight smirk on her face, too, something atypical of her. "If you say so."

"Haven't spoken to you in a long time, and this is how it's going to be? That should be memorable."

But then Alice pulled Shun closer to her by the collar, now only merely three millimeters apart. "But even if we're going to catch up and reminisce, you're going to leave tomorrow." she muttered.

Now it was Shun's turn to feel Alice's heavy breathing on him.

_She's right..._

Technically, they only spent _one_ day together-the day in which Shun got here two weeks after Alice-but that was with _everyone_. Never have Shun and Alice spent a day together by themselves, nevertheless alone and so close like this. What a way to reunite after a long time of not seeing each other.

"Movie in my room tonight!" Dan declared outside, followed by everyone following him inside.

Alice turned her head over to see the people down in the pool. Her hair flew over a little and landed on Shun's hands, giving him a ticklish feeling that made him want to let go yet keep pinning her onto the wall. "Oh shoot."

"What?"

"My room's on the second floor, and if Dan's really going to hold movie night in his room, he's going to make a mess of the entire floor. All my stuff may be packed, but that doesn't make a difference."

"Well, if you don't mind..." There was a hint of amusement in his face as he approached Alice, who slowly backed up to the wall again. "You can always spend the night in my room just down the hall with me."

"_Your_ room with _you_?"

"No one bothers to come up to the fourth floor other than Kato, who I've already told to not disturb me. I picked that room for a reason, you-"

She placed an index fingers on his lips and interrupted. "Okay then."

"That fast?"

"I'm certainly not going to spend my last day alone. Might as well be now or never."

"Why do I have a feeling that you knew this all along ahead of time?"

"I don't know, Shun..."

Hearing that bland response didn't pay off much. "Maybe we just miss each other too much and already planned everything in our minds."

"Maybe. Why don't we go now while they're coming up? There's a lot of stuff that we need to catch up on."

"I thought you'd never ask."

The mayhem Dan caused downstairs was now the least of their problems.

**MxMxM**

Alarm clocks beeped at five o'clock exact, and Shun and Alice awoke to the morning call. Not before spending at least thirty minutes to talk for the last time, despite the silence.

The bittersweetness was too overwhelming.

"So...I guess this is it...for both of us." Shun spoke, breaking the silence.

"I hate time."

"I hate it even more."

Shun laid upside-down next to Alice on his bed and played with a lock of her hair. Alice put her hand in his hair, allowing her fingers to go through the long black locks. Eventually, they both got tired of it, and Alice turned her face over to him.

"Truthfully, I missed you a lot, too. I'd do anything to get away from the snow in Moscow for even just a day, and this would be almost perfect."

"'Almost'?"

She let go of his hair and moved closer, prompting Shun to let go of Alice's hair, too. Both of their faces were covered with their bangs. "Promise we'll stay in touch and see each other again within a year?" The blindness that existed before them was so tempting that they wished this moment lasted forever.

But as they both knew, that was impossible.

Sitting up, Shun looked down at her from above upside-down and brushed her bangs aside. His bangs hung down and tickled her cheeks as she stared up into his amber eyes. "Of course I do, but what about you?"

"If I don't, then why would ask it in the first place? It's settled then."

"And I'm content as well."

Yet truthfully, neither one of them was fully content. After this one last day of time together, it was all over. They both had to return home while everyone else only returned to Bayview.

"Is it just me, or does it get really hot in the morning already in Guam?" Shun asked.

"I don't think so. We've all been 'attacked' by this summer heat since we got here, but at night, it's freezing."

"Opposites, aren't they? How sweet is that?"

"'Bittersweet' is the better term."

All they had to do now was to gather everything together, get changed, and ask Kato to take them home early. Now it was a matter of time.

What a bittersweet wave of summer heat.

* * *

**This is just practice, to be honest. I'm not the type who goes _that_ far. I should work on a sweeter and lighter oneshot in the near future. There's this weird feeling I have in which that I have to make up writing this oneshot with something on the other end of the romance spectrum. ****Right now, I'm just sad that summer's over. ****Leave a review, okay? Thanks in advance. ;)**


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